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every year, and fail. The small percentage who do get in seldom get beyond the small salary allotted to a stock player. Often a foolish young girl causes her parents great worry and suffering by running away to Hollywood in search of a screen career. Almost without exception these girls ultimately must go home and eat humble pie, as failures.
In lieu of the help you ask, but which Miss Rogers is unable to give you, I am enclosing an autographed photograph of her, accompanied by her thanks for your appreciation of her work in pictures.
Very sincerely yours, William Brown, Secretary to Miss Rogers. P. S. Are you dazzled by the "glamour of Hollywood"? Don't be. There isn't any. W. B.
New York City, February 10, 1938. Dear Ginger:
I thought I wouldn't bother you with my personal affairs, but I guess it will take a little explaining of them to puncture your secretary's arguments against my coming to Hollywood. So here goes:
In the first place, there is no need to worry about my parents not wanting me to try for a screen career. My mother died when I was born and Dad married again about five years ago and he and my stepmother spend most of their time in Europe. When I'm not in school, I live with my aunt here in New York and she'll be glad to have me off her hands.
As for the small salaries mentioned, I don't need to worry about money. I have a trust fund allowance and then, there is the $1,000 my father gave me to buy a trousseau with and which I won't need on account of I am not going to get married. Not ever!
And as for the thousands that try and make the grade in pictures . . well, all I've got to say is that the stars Hollywood has now won't last forever. So, why can't I be waiting to jump into the breach?
Honestly, I'm so fed up with my life as it is! Parties and dancing and buying new clothes and going around in a social circle bore me stiff'.
I think I will come to Hollywood in spite of what your secretary says.
Yours,
Sally Hunt.
P. S. Thanks for your picture!
Date: February 14, 1938.
Subject: Sally Hunt letter (attached). To: Gingers Rogers. From: Bill Brown.
Think maybe this needs personal answer. Do you agree?
DIRECTED D Y
GINGER ROGERS
RKO-Radio Pictures, Inc. Hollywood, Calif.
February 16,
1938.
Dear Sally:
I want to thank you for being, as you say, one of my "special fans." I am well aware it is fans like you who are responsible for whatever success a girl like me may have in pictures.
But, Sally, I cannot help you get a screen test, much less actually get you into pictures. I simply cannot. Such a thing is not within my province and to ask it of the casting office would be
to enter into affairs which are not at all my business. Moreover, can't you see that if I should try to arrange such a thing for you, I should be in duty bound to do the same thing for hundreds of others who also are asking it of me? Believe me, the only fair thing to do is to advise all that write me how difficult it is for me to comply with such requests.
One screen test, alone, sometimes costs thousands of dollars. A candidate must be trained and groomed for it for months, sometimes, before he or she is even considered by the (Continued on page 72)
DRAWING BY JOHN FLOHERTY, JR
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